Electric car owners don’t pay gas taxes — how do they help maintain our roads?

Q. Dear Honk: When we buy gas for our vehicles, we are paying a large amount of tax to California for maintenance of the state’s highways. The state might be raising that tax to a higher level soon. How and where do owners of electric vehicles pay a similar tax to maintain the state’s highways!?

–  Richard Mueller, San Diego

A. Such zero-emission vehicles have an annual Road Improvement Fee, which is $118, on their registrations.

“The RIF is a flat fee that affects owners of electric vehicles,” said Kat Snow, a DMV spokesperson.

But they get a bye on the initial registration.

Not bad when owners of gas-powered vehicles pay 89 cents or more in Orange County in state, federal and other taxes on a $4 gallon of gas, eh?

(Taxes vary depending on how much the city or county or a transportation agency adds to the tab, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.)

At that price, a motorist driving 12,000 miles a year, getting 30 miles a gallon, would pay $356 in taxes at the pump.

According to state officials, more than 80% of road and highway improvements are covered by state and federal gas taxes.

Now, Honk was well acquainted with bad math grades — but even he can figure out that is a severe mess going forward as electric vehicles replace gas ones, and popular hybrids get 50 miles per gallon.

Count on seeing a major change at some point — a likely solution is motorists getting charged via on-board computers for every mile driven.

Q. I paid my car registration but the vehicle broke down before I could smog it. Now two years later, the Department of Motor Vehicles says I have to pay the accumulated fees because I did not apply for planned non-operation. Is there any way I can get around paying these fees?

–  James Godfrey, Orange

A. “State law requires the customer to pay vehicle registration (VR) fees and penalties for all the years that they did not pay them but still had the vehicle,” Ronald Ongtoaboc, a DMV spokesman, told Honk in an email. “The DMV does not waive VR fees and can waive late fees only under certain circumstances.

“Vehicle owners must decide annually whether to renew their VR or file for planned non-operation (PNO) status if their vehicle will not be driven, towed, stored, or parked on public roads or highways for the entire registration year,” he said. “The DMV accepts PNO filings up to 60 days before, or up to 90 days after registration expires.

“If the owner does not apply for PNO status, the owner must pay regular VR fees for each year they own the car. California has no grace period for VR renewals.”

HONKIN’ FACT: Beginning Jan. 1, most boaters skippering a motorized vessel must have a California Boater Card when on waters in the state, whether public, private or within three nautical miles from the shore, Angelica De La Peña, a spokeswoman for the state’s Department of Parks and Recreation, told Honk (Many are already required to do so). To get one takes $10 and completion of a safety course, which can be done online in three-plus hours or via a classroom. There are exceptions, including operating a rental vessel that doesn’t otherwise need licensing. If convicted of the infraction requiring the card, the first offense is $100. Info: californiaboatercard.com.

To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. To see him on the social-media platform X: @OCRegisterHonk